Frequently asked questions - Department of Indigenous Affairs

Frequently Asked Questions Heritage and Culture

1. What are the categories of places listed on the Register of Aboriginal Sites?

Places reported to the Registrar of Aboriginal Sites go through an assessment process to determine whether the recorded information meets the terms of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (AHA). The site status is the assessment outcome.

The Register has seven types of site status. These are:

L =	Lodged	Lodged with the Registrar, placed on the Register, not assessed
I =	Insufficient Information	Lodged with Registrar, placed on Register, assessed as having insufficient information to complete an assessment within the terms of Section 5 of the AHA
P =	Permanent	Lodged with Registrar, placed on Register, lodged information is assessed as meeting the terms of Section 5 of the AHA
S =	Stored Data	Lodged with Registrar, placed on Register, lodged information is assessed as not meeting the terms of Section 5 of the AHA
IR =	Insufficient Information	As assessed by Site Assessment Group*
PR =	Permanent Register	As assessed by Site Assessment Group*
SR =	Stored Data	As assessed by Site Assessment Group*

*Site Assessment Group (SAG)

Sites lodged with the Department are assessed under the direction of the Registrar of Aboriginal Sites. These are not to be considered the final assessment. Final assessment will be determined by the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee (ACMC).

For more information on the classification of sites contact the Heritage Information Officers.

2. Where do I get a Site Recording Form?

Download the site recording form or contact the Registrar.

3. How do I lodge an application to use land (s18)?

Download the Section 18 Application Form and read the guidelines.

4. How do I get a list of Heritage Consultants?

A list of Heritage Consultants is available from the relevant professional Anthropological or Archaeological body.

5. If I have lost my copy of a Heritage Survey Report I have written will the DIA make a copy of it for me?

If you request copies from DIA of information you have written, in the form of Heritage Survey Reports or Site Recording Forms, you can get access to such information upon production of written evidence showing that you own the copyright to the information, or have the written permission of the party who owns the copyright (e.g., the company or organisation that engaged them to write the information).
You will have to make the copies yourselves. Departmental staff will not be expected to make the copies.
Although it is hoped that you will abide by all restrictions or prohibitions placed on the perusal, use and dissemination of the material by DIA access classification of the materials being copied, (i.e., Open or Closed), will not prevent you making copies of information that is your copyright.

Contact : Heritage Information Officer Southern or Heritage Information Officer Northern.

6. What happens if the information I submit to register a site is insufficient to have the site registered?

Upon receipt of site related information DIA will assess the information to determine whether it is sufficient to proceed with the registration of the site. If the information is insufficient DIA will contact you by phone, email, letter or fax, and request further information. DIA will specify the information required for registration. If you do not provide further information within one month from the date of the request DIA will proceed with the registration of the site and make a preliminary assessment of the site as "not a site" under Section 5 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972.
The one month time limit placed on following up further information does not preclude site recorders from submitting further information relating to a site at a later date.

Contact: Manager Heritage Information

7. Can I do a site search on the Internet?

You can do a site searche on the DIA website. Go to the Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System.

Contact : Heritage Information Officer Southern or Heritage Information Officer Northern.

8. What types of site searches can I do on the Internet?

You can do a site search by:

Local Government area
Native Title claim area
Mining Tenement
A set of coordinates for a specific area
An individual site name, site identification or old site number

Go to the Aboriginal Heritage Inquiry System (AHIS) or contact : Heritage Information Officer Southern or Heritage Information Officer Northern.

9. Where can I dowload digital site information or spatial data?

Go to the Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register - Requests for digital information page.

10. Can I tell whether a site has previously had a Section 18 determination on it?

Yes, it is possible to discover if a site has previously been the subject of a section 18 Notice by contacting the Registrar.

11. What is the difference between a Closed Site and an Open Site?

An "Open" site is a site that ACMC has determined that the public can see the site file information.

A "Closed" site is a site that ACMC has determined that prior to anyone viewing the site file information, written consent from the site informant/s must be provided to DIA.

12. Can I get a copy of a site file?

Copying of Site Files is subject to a number of restrictions, including copyright and is governed by the access status (Closed or Open) of each site file. Contact the Heritage Information Officer Southern or Heritage Information Officer Northern for more information.

13. Can I get a copy of a Heritage Survey Report?

Copying of Heritage Survey Reports is subject to a number of restrictions, including copyright and the access status of sites reported in them. Contact the Heritage Information Officer Southern or Heritage Information Officer Northern for more information.

14. What happens if I disturb a site?

Under section 17 of the AHA it is an offence to disturb a site. If you come across an alleged disturbance of a site, please contact a DIA office or the police.

15. What do I do if I find skeletal remains

Always contact the Registrar or the Police.

16. How do I recognise a site?

Sites can be a diverse range of places. For more information, click here.

17. What is the ACMC - Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee?

The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee (ACMC) advises the Minister for Indigenous Affairs on matters relating to Aboriginal heritage. The Committee comprises Aboriginal men and women from different parts of Western Australia to ensure that culturally appropriate decisions are made about sensitive material or sites. The Committee also has representatives from the Department of Indigenous Affairs, WA Museum and Landgate, with the advice of a specialist anthropologist.

The ACMC meets every month, and advertises applications it receives. For more information, click here.

18. When is the next ACMC meeting?

A list of ACMC meeting and agenda dates for 2008 is available, click here.

If you have another question about Aboriginal heritage and culture that you would like answered, please send an e-mail to the Heritage & Culture Branch.